Tanner turned off the microphones that transmitted to the receivers in the men’s ears so they wouldn’t be distracted by any chatter back in the MCC. He and Roxanne could hear the men talk, but little else could be heard through the earpieces.

Roxanne’s head drooped into her hands, and she seemed to wilt in defeat. “No one seems to know anything.”

“Give them time. It’s a small town. Someone will have seen something.”

“What if Jake was never there?”

“Have a little faith. Reid’s good at his job.”

She was only two feet away. The cramped confines of the RV practically had them sitting in each other’s laps. Not that he would have minded having Roxanne on his lap.

That was the problem.

He could smell her skin and the herbal shampoo she’d used. It reminded him all too much about last night and how far he’d let things go before putting on the brakes.

He could have let things go further. He could be sitting here right now, knowing exactly how she sounded when she climaxed. His curiosity and his regret at not taking what she’d so willingly offered were driving him mad.

Sure, he still had his honor, but right now, with her sitting so close, suffering, all he really wanted was to pull her in his arms and make them both forget everything else.

He’d never forget the look of devastation on his brother’s face as he’d uttered those words. Reid had claimed he hadn’t meant it, but Tanner knew otherwise.

Roxanne sniffed, pulling him out of his bleak thoughts. Her face was hidden, and he had the distinct impression she was crying.

“You okay?” he asked, his voice tight with his own emotional baggage.

She sucked in a long, deep breath and plastered a too-bright smile on her face as she looked up. “Yeah. Just frustrated.”

“We’ll find him,” said Tanner.

“Or we could let them find us.”

“What do you mean?”

“You said yourself that they weren’t trying to kill me. The man who broke into my room probably wanted to take me to wherever they’re hiding Jake. Maybe I should let them do it.”

Just the thought of her putting herself into that kind of danger made outrage and anger swell inside him. “I won’t let you do that,” he growled.

One of her blond eyebrows lifted in challenge. “You won’t let me? Did you seriously just say that?”

“You heard me. It’s stupid and risky. You have no idea what would happen to you if you put yourself in their hands; nor do you know if it would even help us find Jake. Or that you’d live through it.”

“True, but I also know it’s my call. Not yours.”

No. Tanner couldn’t let it happen. If he had to knock her out and sling her over his shoulder like a caveman and lock her in a room at the Edge until Bella could talk some sense into her, he would. Even if it meant she never spoke to him again. “Don’t push me on this, Razor. You won’t like what happens.”

“I’m not going to push you at all. I’m simply going to do what I see fit. With or without your approval.”

This was getting them nowhere fast. He couldn’t put himself at odds with her and still expect her to trust him. And he needed her to trust him—at least enough to keep him in the loop on what she planned to do.

If she was foolish enough to walk willingly into a trap, he had to at least be there when it sprang.

It was time to use diplomacy. “We need to give the men more time.”

“They’ve been in town all day. How many more days do you think Jake has?”

“He’s tough and well trained. He’ll survive until we find him.”

Reid’s voice came over the speakers. “The VFW was a bust. No one there’s seen him, and we nearly didn’t escape the gravitational well of conversation. I’ve never heard men talk more than those old-timers.”

Tanner flipped the microphone on as he watched Roxanne’s reaction to the news. “Did they say anything of use?”

“Nothing much,” said Clay. “They’ve seen a few strangers around town, but that’s not much to go on in a town so close to a major highway.”

Reid spoke again. “One of them is convinced there’s something strange going on southwest of here. Of course, he thinks it’s aliens, so I’m not sure how valid his claims are.”

“He wasn’t lying,” said Gage, his low, quiet voice rough with disuse.

“I’m sure he believes every word he says,” said Reid. “That doesn’t make it true.”

Roxanne’s body seemed to sag in defeat. Tanner placed a reassuring hand above her knee, realizing his mistake too late. The slender strength of her thigh beneath his palm made him want to stroke higher, or to delve beneath the fabric of her jeans so he could feel her bare skin. He remembered how soft she’d been, how fast she’d responded to his touch. He remembered all the little sounds she’d made, and how her mouth had moved against his.

Desire hit him hard and fast, making sweat break out along his spine. His hand tingled and heat slid up his body as his cock hardened painfully against his fly.

Tanner shifted in his seat, trying to ease the ache, but all it did was make him look twitchy.

“We’ve got one more place to hit,” said Clay. “There’s a bar on the north side of town that is apparently the one and only source of nightlife in this area. We’ll go there and see what we can dig up.”

“Do you want us to come get you?” asked Roxanne.

“No. Stay put. We’re going to walk over. It’s not that far. We’ll see you in a bit.”

Tanner flipped the switch controlling the microphone and turned down the volume on the speakers. He didn’t want Roxanne hearing them talk about anything that might upset her more.

“It’s going to be another dead end,” she said. Defeat rang hollow in her voice, and a hint of grieving made her eyes glisten with tears.

She was spiraling down fast, losing hope. Hopeless people were desperate people, and Tanner couldn’t let her become desperate. She’d do something foolish and get herself killed.

“Stop it,” he ordered her. “We are going to find him. We are going to save him. And if you can’t stay positive, then you need to go back to the Edge and let me finish the job without you.”

That got her spine straightened out. She shot up from her chair, fury darkening her cheeks. Her blond hair framed her face, and the waning sunlight flowing through the pale curtain over the window made it glow like a fiery halo.

She loomed over him, shoving her finger hard against his chest. “If you think I’m backing off, you’ve lost your mind. This is my mission. My friend. We’ll do things my way.”

Roxanne looked like some kind of ferocious goddess in her anger. She radiated power, and her possessive talk only served to heighten the lust Tanner kept trying to fight off. Her lips were pulled back in a feral snarl, and all he could think about was kissing them again.

He stood, crowding her in the small space. The fact that she had to look up to him did nothing to diminish her ire. She was still radiating the power of her fear, worry, and determination with every beat of her heart.

Tanner took the hand she’d jammed against his chest and flattened her fingers with his palm until they were splayed over his heart. His body was buzzing with energy, his blood pounding hot and hard through his veins. He could no longer hear the men chatting over the sound of his own pulse.

Her fingers curled slightly, digging into his muscles.

He stepped closer, closing the space between them and holding her elbow so she couldn’t easily back up. Not that there was anywhere to go. “As long as doing things your way doesn’t get us killed, I’m game.”

“Do you think I don’t know what I’m doing? That I don’t know how to run a mission?”

“No, I think you’re emotionally compromised. I think you’re understandably upset.”

She blinked and spoke in a whisper. “I can’t lose him, Tanner. He’s all the family I have left.”

His heart squeezed, shoving out a wave of grief for his brother and dad. He’d lost so much, but not nearly as much as Roxanne had. He didn’t know how long it would be until he could think of them without pain. Right now, that kind of miracle seemed impossible. He wasn’t sure how she’d made it through her grief alone. At least Tanner and the rest of his family had one another to work through their loss. “You’re not going to lose him. I won’t let it happen.”

One side of her mouth lifted in a half smile. “I almost believe you.”

“That’s because I’m right. I’m not going to make you go through the kind of grief Reid and I’ve had to suffer.”

She closed the remaining few inches between them and laid her head on his shoulder. Her arm snaked around his waist, and she gave him a tight hug. “I’m so sorry you lost them. I can only imagine how hard it must be for you to keep going every day.”

It was easier with her around. He didn’t understand why that was—whether she distracted him or kept him busy enough that he didn’t have time to think about it, or if there was simply something magical about her that drove away all the bad stuff. Either way, he was grateful for the bubble of comfort she provided.

Tanner wrapped his arms around her and hugged her back. He didn’t want her to pull away just yet, so he cupped the back of her head to hold her in place while he steadied his pounding heart.

His whole body rejoiced at her nearness, his skin heating and tingling wherever she touched. Her scent filled his head, shoving out all rational thought. He knew he shouldn’t be this close to her; he just couldn’t remember or care why.

Her fingers stroked his chest. Her breath tickled his neck. Her breasts cushioned his ribs as his breathing sped up.

He felt her head shift slightly, rubbing his fingertips against her scalp. A second later, her lips brushed his neck, the touch so light he wasn’t even sure it had really happened. She probably hadn’t meant to do it. It was just an accident created by the ill-timed movements of their breathing.

Tanner held his breath, praying for a repeat of the accident. His body was rigid, his muscles tense.

Nothing happened—no more strokes of her mouth on his skin.

Disappointment roared inside him, and only then did he realize how much he had wanted her touch. He knew he shouldn’t, but the why seemed inconsequential in the face of so much need. He could never want something that was bad for him as much as he wanted Roxanne.

She pulled her head away, and he had to fight the urge to force her to stay right where she was. He liked her here, plastered against him, close enough he could feel her breathing and know she was safe. But in the end, he couldn’t hold her captive, so he moved his hand, letting her silky hair slide between his fingers.

Instead of stepping away as he’d expected, Roxanne tilted her head back and looked at him. Her eyes had darkened to a rich hammered bronze, and her glossy lips were parted in invitation. Her gaze scoured his face, but she said nothing. She simply looked at him with some kind of longing he couldn’t translate. Was it for him? For Jake’s return? He couldn’t tell, so he kept staring, trying to puzzle it out.

What if she did want him? They’d already decided that their being together was a bad idea. But right now, that decision seemed like the mistake.

Tanner didn’t dare move. He felt trapped between what he wanted and what he knew was right. His noble intentions were swiftly fading as each second ticked by.

She licked her lips, drawing attention to her glossy mouth. He gritted his teeth until his molars ached from the force of his restraint.

“I want to kiss you,” she admitted, “but I promised myself I wouldn’t make a move on you again.”

He thought that was a seriously fucked-up idea. “Why?”

“You made it clear you didn’t want me.”

“Never. I’ve wanted you from the moment I saw you.”

A slight smile curved one side of her mouth, and that crooked smile nearly drove him to his knees. If it hadn’t been for the fact that he’d take her down, he wouldn’t have been able to find the strength to stay standing. “Maybe. But you’re trying to be good. Do the right thing. Unfortunately, my impulse control isn’t so well developed. If you don’t let me go, I’m afraid I’m going to ruin all those good intentions of yours.”

That sounded like a fine idea to him. Who needed good intentions when he had Roxanne in his arms, sweet and eager?

He couldn’t shed the heat building inside him. His breathing sped and his heart was struggling to cool his blood, but it wasn’t working.

She was so fucking pretty. So soft. And her mouth was begging for his. She didn’t know he’d killed his brother. She looked at him like he was a hero, not a failure, and he liked it. She made him forget all the bad stuff. When he looked at her, his whole world shimmered with warmth.

Warning bells were gonging in his head, but he didn’t give a shit. He knew it was against the rules to get involved with her, but they could be careful. No one would have to know. After the hell he’d been through, he deserved something good in his life. Didn’t he?

She seemed to think so, and right now, that was enough for him.

Tanner lowered his head until their mouths met. He felt the moist slide of her lip gloss as she opened to his kiss. Her whole body seemed to melt in his arms, and she let out a soft, womanly sigh of pleasure.

Her arms tightened around his neck as her kisses became more greedy and desperate. His tongue swept inside her mouth, and, instantly, her taste filled his head, shoving all rational thoughts away. She was so sweet, like vanilla. They moved perfectly together, anticipating the motions of the other as they struggled to get closer.

The MCC was cramped, with barely any room to move, but he had to find enough space to feel what he’d denied himself last night.

Tanner put his hands on her ass and lifted her from the floor. She wrapped her legs around his hips as he carried her back to the small kitchen. All the windows were covered. The doors were locked. No one could see in. They were alone, and no one was going to stop him from taking what she wanted to give.

He set her down on top of the table and started kissing his way south. She flung her head back, baring her slender neck to his mouth.

Bruises lined her throat. A dark, feral rage bubbled inside him, and he had to tamp it down for fear of scaring her. Instead of going hunting for the asshole who’d hurt her, he gently kissed each one of those bruises, silently willing away her pain—not that she seemed to be feeling any pain now.

She was breathing hard. Her face was flushed. Her fingers were working the buttons on her shirt, undoing them to make way for him. He loved it that she wasn’t at all shy, but threw herself into the moment with abandon. A woman like that went straight to a man’s head.

As soon as the buttons were free, she stripped the shirt off and tossed it behind her. Between kisses, he caught a glimpse of her white lace bra and the way it lifted her breasts toward him, as if offering him a treat.

Tanner groaned at the sight. He stared down and traced one finger along the edge of the lace, watching as her nipples beaded up against the thin fabric. She shivered at his touch. He slid his finger beneath the strap and eased it down over her shoulder.

His mouth followed in the bra’s wake as he dragged the lace across her nipple, baring her breast completely. As much as he wanted to move slowly, her noises of encouragement were driving him on, spurring him to take more and more.

He palmed her breast, lifting it to his watering mouth. Her skin was so soft here, so smooth and feminine. She fit in his hand just right, making him wonder how well the rest of them would fit. The thought drove him wild, and he covered her nipple with his mouth, licking and sucking to see what she liked best.

The scent of her skin filled his head, mixed with a heady dose of arousal. He’d been with her like this only twice, but he knew without a doubt that he’d always remember the way she smelled right now, so sweet and hungry for him.

He sucked harder, drawing a low moan of pleasure from her mouth. She hooked her ankles around his hips and pulled him closer, until he was settled between her thighs, feeling the heat of her mound sinking through their clothing.

His cock surged toward her, eager to be free of all the fabric. He wanted to feel her naked skin, slick from her arousal, sliding against him.

Her hands gripped his shirt, tugging it up. He let go of her nipple long enough to strip out of the garment, then bared her other breast to his mouth. Her eager noises of appreciation told him she liked what he was doing. No way was he stopping now.

Roxanne’s fingers moved between them, stroking his erection through his jeans.

Lights exploded behind his eyes, and he had to dig deep for the self-control it took to stop himself from losing it right there. He hadn’t been with a woman in months—too long for him to have the kind of patience he needed to play it cool. He was running hot, dying for more of her, while drowning in what he’d already experienced. She overwhelmed him, filling his senses and stimulating him to the point of insanity.

“I need you,” she whispered as her fingers tugged at the waistband of his jeans. The button popped open easily. The zipper slid down. A second later, her silky fingers were on him, stroking down his cock.

He groaned at her breast, and her hand tightened.

“Now, Tanner.” There was no hesitation in her voice. No question. Just the demanding confidence of a woman who knew what she wanted.

Tanner thanked God that he was the object of that want. He wasn’t going to fuck it up by losing control before he’d had the chance to give her what she needed.

He tugged her hand from his pants and pushed her back until she was lying on the table. It was bolted to the floor, nice and secure. He could drive hard and deep inside her and not worry about any furniture malfunctions.

He wasted no time undoing her jeans. He slid them and her panties from her slim legs, knocking her shoes off as he went. His hands were poised at his waistband, ready to shuck his own jeans, when he caught sight of her. His whole world went still.

Muted sunshine from the setting sun flowed in through the RV’s curtains, casting golden swaths of light across her skin. Slender muscles lent a feminine strength to her body that left him speechless. Strong but delicate, she was a woman to be cherished for her rareness. And she wanted him.

Tanner couldn’t stop himself from touching her. He splayed his hand across her stomach, feeling the muscles beneath his palm flutter in reaction to his touch. Goose bumps rose on her skin. Her nipples were red and puckered from his mouth, and a pink flush spread out over her chest and shoulders.

His hand slid down, reveling in the feel of her skin against his. What little hair she had covering her mound was dark blond, and with her legs wrapped around him like this, she couldn’t hide the shiny proof of her arousal.

He cupped her there, feeling her wet heat against the heel of his hand. His fingers slid between her labia until he found her engorged clit. He barely brushed it, but the touch was enough to make her arch her back off the table and suck in a breath.

She was so responsive, so sensitive. He couldn’t help but do it again and watch as her lips parted on a heavy sigh.

She looked up at him, her golden eyes half-lidded and luminous with desire. He’d never had a woman look at him like that before—with such utter need. “Now, Tanner. Please.”

He couldn’t deny her—not when she looked at him like that. He wanted to give her the world.

Tanner shucked his jeans, and the condom from his pocket went on in seconds.

She sat up, looped her arms around his neck, and kissed him as if he were the only man on Earth. He lifted her up enough to align their bodies and then let her sink down. The moment her tight heat slid around the head of his cock, he was lost.

Her sweet sigh of pleasure reassured him even as it drove him further out of control. Sharp fingernails bit into his shoulders, setting his nerve endings ablaze. His entire spine was on fire as he laid her down on the table and set a hard, fast pace.

He didn’t want this to end, but he wasn’t going to last long, not with her mouth on his, and her sexy little cries filling his ears. His usual stamina was AWOL.

Tanner forced himself to slow the pace and stood upright. She tried to follow him, but he pressed one hand between her breasts, pinning her to the table.

Roxanne opened her mouth to say something, but he didn’t want to talk—not now, not when he was so close to the edge. Words were beyond him.

He covered her lips with his finger. She sucked it into her mouth and gave him the most wicked, knowing stare.

A wave of lust hit him so hard, his heart nearly exploded from the pressure. Sweat cooled his back. He grabbed her hips and pulled them to the edge of the table, which drove his cock deep inside her, locking them together.

She gasped, and her eyes fluttered closed in pleasure. Her body went languid as her arms sprawled over her head and her back arched. She made one slow, undulating rotation of her hips, which Tanner felt all the way to his toes.

He wasn’t going to survive this. She was going to kill him with pleasure.

He couldn’t bring himself to care what happened to him, so long as he got to hear her climax, to feel her pulse around him as he sent her spinning.

Roxanne tugged at her nipples while he thrust inside her. She kept her gaze fixed on him, telling him she wasn’t thinking about anyone else—just him.

Her sexy show turned him on, and he took mental notes, watching how she pleasured herself so that he could do it the way she liked next time.

If there was a next time.

The unwelcome thought was cast aside. It had no place between them—not now.

A searing wave of sensation trickled down his spine, and he stopped midstroke, waiting for it to pass. Roxanne apparently wasn’t willing to be patient. Her hips bucked and her breathing sped until she was panting. She grabbed his arms and held on tight while she ground herself against him.

A dark red flush and a light sheen of perspiration covered her chest and face. Her nipples stood at attention. He had to taste them again.

Tanner leaned over her, gathering her in his arms to bring her close. The heat of her skin amplified his own until he was sure he’d combust on the spot. The need to come coiled inside him, shoving him higher with every stroke of their bodies.

He licked her nipple, tasting the salt of her skin and smelling her rising desire. She let out as sharp whimper and dug her fingernails into his scalp. He felt the first fluttering contractions around his cock and heard her pull in a deep breath.

She let it out in a harsh cry of pleasure, her body thrashing against his as she climaxed.

His body’s reaction was immediate and violent. A searing wave of sensation exploded through his body, blinding him with the force of it. He roared in response, unable to control the hard, frantic thrust of his hips against hers as he came. The power of his orgasm choked the breath from his body as his semen pumped from his cock in time with the pulses of her climax.

If he hadn’t been in such good shape, sex with Roxanne probably would have killed him. As it was, it left him sprawled on the floor of the MCC, gasping for breath. She was on top of him, limp and boneless. Small aftershocks shook her body and fluttered around his cock.

He was still inside her, and in no hurry to leave, but that wasn’t safe for her. Condoms could leak, though he was still hard enough that the thing was on tight. Rather than risk it, he disengaged their bodies and settled her against his chest.

Slowly, their breathing returned to normal, and their skin cooled. He stroked her hair, floating in the calm after the storm.

Roxanne pushed herself up and hovered over him. Her hair was a mess and her makeup was smudged. There was a bit of beard burn on her chin and even more on her breasts.

He was going to have to shave before he made her come again.

The thought gave him pause. There were no guarantees of a repeat performance. And while what they’d done was perfectly legal, it was against company policy.

Her golden eyes scoured his face. “You’re already regretting it, aren’t you?”

Regret was not the right word. He could never regret something as perfect and explosive as what they’d just shared. But his family had to come first for once. And right now, his family needed him to keep this job.

“We both know the two of us will never be more than a good time in the sack. Now that we’ve gotten the lust out of our systems, we’ll be able to focus on getting Jake home.”

She flinched, but covered it quickly. “You’re right,” she said as she pushed herself to her feet and turned her back. “The itch is scratched. Time to move on.”

That wasn’t exactly what he’d meant, but the reality was the same. He just wished the thought of never holding her again didn’t bother him half as much as it did.

She felt discarded. Not used—she’d wanted Tanner as much as he’d wanted her, maybe more—but she’d been set aside. Dismissed.

Not that she blamed him for being curt. He’d been clear to her from the start that he didn’t want to mix business with pleasure. She’d all but thrown herself at him, and she had gotten exactly what she deserved.

Along with the most mind-blowing orgasm of her life. Her head was still swimming, and she was sure her pulse would never again return to normal.

All in all, the risk had been worth the reward. She was satisfied, and her curiosity was appeased.

The problem was, now that she knew what it was like to be with Tanner, there was no doubt in her mind she’d want more.

Oh, well. It wouldn’t be the first thing in her life she’d wanted and not been able to have. Despite her wealth, that list was too long to count. The important things in life couldn’t be purchased with any amount of money.

She guessed that meant she wasn’t all that important. She’d been worth only three percent to her own flesh and blood. Her own parents hadn’t been willing to pay a penny more for her safe return, and because of them, she was literally scarred for life.

Shame burned her cheeks. She checked the mirror and did her best to repair her hair and makeup. There were obvious signs of their tryst: her swollen lips, a red mark on her chin where his stubble had rubbed her as they’d kissed, and a hickey on her neck that could possibly be mistaken for one more bruise. But the real sign was in her eyes. They seemed darker, as if the knowledge of what she’d lost before she could ever really have it lurked there for everyone to see.

She wasn’t going to let anyone, including herself, feel sorry for her. If her eyes were too expressive, she’d buy a pair of fucking sunglasses. It was time to get over her own personal drama and focus on Jake. He was out there, he needed her, and she was going to tear down heaven and earth to find him.